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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. present — there
  3. bat — the animal
  4. drill — the tool
  5. present — a gift
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. drill — army training
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — the time now
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. lean — thin
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rush — hurry
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ball — a dance
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com